The present invention relates to a linked bracelet, in particular for a watch, comprising a linked chain composed of metal links joined in twos by hinges and a series of ornamental tubular links threaded onto said chain and able to rest longitudinally one against the other at their respective front faces, each ornamental link having at least one longitudinal passage, in which a metal link and a hinge associated with it are housed and can rest against an inside surface of a lower wall of the ornamental link in the region of the hinge, when the hinge is in a folded position. The invention also relates to an ornamental link that may be used in such a bracelet.
Watch bracelets of this type are described in particular in patent publications CH 684 988, EP 549 979 and EP 1 136 011, and their ornamental links are preferably made from a hard ceramic material, and are therefore scratch-resistant and can have an attractive shiny appearance for a great number of years. However, a disadvantage of these materials is that they are somewhat fragile and are less resistant than metal materials to tensile and bending stresses. In some circumstances, the linked chain passing through the tubular ornamental links can exert stresses of this type on some of these can cause one of their walls to break, thus requiring the broken link to be replaced. Incidents of this type are very annoying when top of the range articles are concerned. As bracelets are articles, in which appearance plays a significant role, these links cannot always be reinforced by a significant increase in the thickness of their walls. Therefore, there is a need to remedy this situation by at least partially using other means.